Tanya Plibersek urged to block ‘climate-wrecking’ Queensland coalmine that would raze koala habitat

Hundreds of hectares of habitat that is home to endangered and vulnerable native animals could be cleared if a new Bowen Basin mine is granted final approval by the federal environment minister. Photograph: Alamy

Environmentalists are urging the federal government to block the development of a central Queensland coalmine that would allow hundreds of hectares of endangered koala habitat to be cleared.

The Queensland government approved the Vulcan South coalmine in the Bowen Basin earlier this month without requiring an environmental impact statement (EIS).